Fate: Family Beach Day
by The Pyromancer
Summary: Mordred and his father have a rocky relationship, but he has a plan to fix that. How? By holding the best family beach day ever! Nothing could go wrong, right?


**Disclaimer:** I don't own Fate or anything associated with it.

Thanks like always to Blind_Seer0 for editing this chapter for me. Originally written on my phone during work. Finally remembered to get it off there.

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**Fate: Family Beach Day**

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Mordred (Rider) walked quietly through the halls of the old samurai compound he was currently living in with his father. Well, maybe that was a bit of a stretch. He lived in one end of the large compound while his father lived in the other. Plus, his father _might_ not be aware he was even there. He'd snuck in and found himself greeted by the boy who owned the building. He had allowed Mordred to live there in secret while they tried to work together to figure out how to reconcile Mordred and his Father.

This reconciliation was why Mordred now carefully carried his magical shield Prydwen (stolen from his father's armory) over his head, the large metal shield covered in bags of groceries that were precariously balanced on it. This was the perfect plan, and one worth waking up at three in the morning to start. Once at his destination he easily laid his makeshift grocery basket on the wooden table and flicked on the light switch. It should be no surprise that a compound this big had _two _kitchens. Mordred looked over the spare kitchen, finding it perfect for his needs.

Mordred clenched his fist and smirked. "This is going to be the best family beach day ever."

He was all prepared. He had the supplies needed to make their meals, enough even for his bottomless pit of a father. He had a surfboard on which to show off his impressive riding skill (Prydwen would double well for this purpose) and he was already dressed in a swimsuit and sandals. His father's love was as good as his.

"All right," he yelled. "Let's get cooking!"

The best way to his father's heart was through her stomach, that was just scientific fact. Both his mother and his very helpful new landlord had told him this. That meant it was time to show off his C Rank Cooking Skill. Learned and honed through a combination of lessons from his mother and the landlord, plus his own attempts at making a late-night snack, Mordred knew he was up to the task.

When you think, 'best family beach day ever!', what do you think of? Mordred had spent the last several days formulating what that might mean, especially regarding food. Triangle sandwiches, ice pops, watermelon and milkshakes had been what he'd concluded. So, that was what he would make. Finding a knife, he tested it's edge on a tomato. He threw the tricky fruit into the air and slashed it mid-flight. The red bastard fell to the countertop and split in half. Mordred smiled; this would do.

The kitchen turned into a blur of motion as Mordred took command. He sliced, he diced, lit the stove, extinguished the stove when the fire started to spread too far, and he mized milkshakes by hand. Somehow. The kitchen was scorched, scarred and covered in goo by the time he finished several hours later. But there, on the now lopsided three-legged dining table was the fruits of Mordred's labor. A basket, filled with dozens of perfect sandwiches, a couple hundred tiny flavored ice pops, two gallons of strawberry milkshake and a whole watermelon. It was perfect.

Giving a glance around the room Mordred decided he had finished to satisfaction. It was just before eight in the morning, which meant the perfect time to surprise his father with the food and invitation.

"Let the family beach day begin!"

Carrying the basket in one hand and Prydwen in the other, Mordred ran through the halls of the compound, his sandals clapping against the wooden floors. He quickly found himself outside the main dining room, which was where the landlord was supposed to keep everyone until Mordred was ready. Luckily, he was ahead of their planned schedule. Finding himself without a hand free to use to open the sliding door, Mordred used his feet instead. He looped a sandal against the handle and brought his foot to the side, causing the door to slide and slam quickly and loudly.

"Who's ready for the best family beach day ever?" he yelled into the room, a bright smile on his face. He looked around the room for the proud face of his father, but instead found nothing. No one was in the room; it was completely empty. Well, that wasn't entirely true. His gaze fell on a piece of paper on the table. Gently dropping the basket, Mordred bent and picked up the paper. He saw it was a note, addressed to him.

_Mordred,_

_Arturia got really excited about heading to the beach and nothing I did could stall her. I'm real sorry, but all I had time to do was write this note._

_Hope you see this soon,_

_Shirou_

"But…," said Mordred, hardly able to believe it. His grip slackened and the note slipped out, falling back onto the table. His plan, his careful plan... "Family…beach…day…"

Mordred fell to his knees, Prydwen by his side offering no comfort as the letter from Shirou stared mockingly up at him. Once again, despite his dreams or wishes, everything had crumbled underneath him. He couldn't earn his father's admiration; he'd wasted a morning and worst of all he'd never get to the beach now. He didn't know the directions to get there because he was supposed to have traveled there with his father.

It was always like this. He'd get his hopes up and then be let down. Just like when he'd worked to become a knight. Like when his mother had finally told him who his father was.

_Ding dong_

All he wanted, all he had ever wanted was acceptance, from King Arthur, from his _Father_.

_Ding dong_

One day, couldn't there just be one day where things went his-

_Ding dong ding dong ding dong ding dong ding dong_

"Who is fucking doing that?!" yelled Mordred, looking up from the floor, scowling.

_Ding dong_

The pesky noise was coming from down the hall. The front door. Some pesky person who hadn't gotten the memo that today. Was. A. Fucking. Family. Beach. Day!

_Ding dong_

And they refused to leave! Mordred stood and cracked his knuckles. He had a lot of pent up frustration and this person was going to make a great target. He stomped down the hallway, the doorbell a constant noise as the persistent interloper refused to just turn around and leave. Their mistake.

The doorbell rang once more as Mordred reached out and slammed the door open, causing it to rattle in its track. "Cut out that rack-," said Mordred before stopping abruptly. Standing before him was the last person he'd expected to see at that moment.

"uh," said Fran, smiling and waving at Mordred. Strangely, she was wearing a swimsuit with a light jacket covering her shoulders.

"Fran? What are you doing here?"

Fran held up an arm, a much too long sleeve hiding her hand. In her grasp were two pieces of paper. "Uh."

"Tickets?"

She nodded. "Uh."

How did you manage to get two tickets to the water park?"

"Uh."

"What strange old man?" Mordred shook his head to refocus himself. "No, that's not important. What are you doing here with those tickets? Go use them with someone important to you."

Fran frowned at Mordred for a moment before opening her mouth and speaking slowly and deliberately. "I…am…"

Mordred couldn't believe what he was hearing. _He_ was the important person to someone? After the day he'd been having, he could hardly imagine anything of the sort. But here she was, his friend wanting to spend a day at the water park, with him. She might not be his father, but it was still a dream come true.

Mordred straightened up and held back his tears. He put on a cocky smile. "Well, how could I say no to something like that? Let me get Prydwen and we can head out. Oh, I've also got some food packed already. How do you feel about watermelon?"

Mordred turned back down the hall and ran to get his stuff. This was going to be the best family water park day ever.

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**Author's Note:** Mordred and Fran are dating, and Mordred totally doesn't realize this. Just saying.


End file.
